Vitale Bill Moving Presidential Primary Date To February Advances

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would move New Jersey’s presidential primary date to the last Tuesday in February in order to make New Jersey relevant in national elections was signed into law today by Governor Codey.

“The issues facing New Jerseyans every day are the same issues playing out in our nation’s capital, and across the United States,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. “We are, in so many ways, a microcosm of the larger national picture, and as such, we deserve to have a voice in the national decision-making involved in picking a party’s presidential candidate. In the next presidential election, candidates from both parties will have to discuss the needs of New Jersey if they are going to secure the support of their respective political parties to run.”

TRENTON – Gov. Jon S. Corzine has signed into law a bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney to protect beneficiaries with developmental disabilities by requiring the trustees and guardians designated in a will to post a bond and periodically provide accountings to the court.

“Unscrupulous people who are looking to take advantage of someone to make some easy money have, unfortunately, preyed on the most vulnerable members of our society, including people with developmental disabilities,” Sen. Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem) said. “This bill will make sure the rights of people with these disabilities are protected when they are named beneficiaries of an estate.”

TRENTON -Governor Richard Codey signed into law today a package of bills sponsored by Senator Wayne Bryant that would work to reform elections in New Jersey, including moving the presidential primary up to February.

“Far too often, I hear, especially from young people, ‘Why bother voting if my vote doesn’t count?'” said Senator Bryant, D-Camden and Gloucester. “These bills are meant to let the people of New Jersey know that their vote will count for something. Whether by making us more relevant in the presidential primary process or showing every voter a physical copy of their ballot, we are putting into place reforms that will make the right to vote more relevant to everyone in New Jersey.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and John H. Adler which would move New Jersey’s presidential primary date to the last Tuesday in February in order to make New Jersey relevant in national elections was unanimously approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

“In presidential primaries, New Jerseyans have been largely neglected due to our late primary date,” said Senator Vitale. “New Jersey should be a player on the national stage, and yet our voters are regularly disenfranchised because our primary happens to fall so late in the calendar year as to make us insignificant. We need to give our constituents greater input into each party’s nominee for the presidency, so that the officeholder truly represents the wishes of all of the people of this country.”

TRENTON � A bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney to protect developmentally disabled beneficiaries by requiring the trustees and guardians designated in a will to post a bond and periodically provide accountings to the court was approved 10-0 today by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The court would determine the amount and conditions of the bond required where a will names developmentally disabled beneficiary, under terms of the bill (S-550). Developmental disabilities would include mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, spina bifida and other neurological impairments.

A bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney to protect developmentally disabled beneficiaries by requiring the trustees and guardians designated in a will to post a bond and periodically provide accountings to the court was approved 38-0 today by the state Senate.

The court would determine the amount and conditions of the bond required where a will names developmentally disabled beneficiary, under terms of the bill (S-550). Developmental disabilities would include mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, spina bifida and other neurological impairments.

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Sandra Bolden Cunningham and Nicholas Sacco to strengthen transparency laws governing the Port Authority of NY & NJ by requiring the board’s meeting standards be at least as strong as the provisions contained within the “Open Public Meetings Act” was unanimously approved today by the Senate Transportation Committee.

The bill (S-550) would establish by state law the requirement that the port authority adequately provide notice of board meetings to the public and the news media, as well as establish clear guidelines regarding public access to meetings. Specifically, the bill would require the port authority to follow the same requirements of the “Open Public Meetings Act” of New Jersey and the “Open Meetings Law” of New York; in the event they conflict, the board would be required to adopt the provisions which provide for the greatest rights to the public and the media.

“The Port Authority handles billions of dollars of public money, and operates a massive transportation network in two states, consisting of some of the country’s busiest airports, bridges, tunnels and ports,” said Senator Cunningham (D-Hudson). “It is critical that permanent policies are in place to ensure that board actions are fully transparent and that decision-makers are held accountable to the residents who support their operations.”

“Providing the public proper access to authority meetings is vital to ensuring that residents are able to monitor how their hard-earned dollars are being spent,” said Senator Sacco (D-Hudson/Bergen), chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “This bill will ensure that the authority meets strong transparency standards and that these standards are not only part of the bylaws, but established in state law and, therefore, cannot be changed by the board they were created to govern.”

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Sandra Bolden Cunningham and Nicholas Sacco to strengthen transparency laws governing the Port Authority of NY & NJ by requiring the board’s meeting standards be at least as strong as the provisions contained within the “Open Public Meetings Act” was approved unanimously today by the full Senate.

The bill (S-550) would establish by state law the requirement that the port authority adequately provide notice of board meetings to the public and the news media, as well as establish clear guidelines regarding public access to meetings. Specifically, the bill would require the port authority to follow the same requirements of the “Open Public Meetings Act” of New Jersey and the “Open Meetings Law” of New York; in the event they conflict, the board would be required to adopt the provisions which provide for the greatest rights to the public and the media.

“The Port Authority handles billions of dollars of public money, and operates a massive transportation network in two states, consisting of some of the country’s busiest airports, bridges, tunnels and ports,” said Senator Cunningham (D-Hudson). “It is critical that permanent policies are in place to ensure that board actions are fully transparent and that decision-makers are held accountable to the residents who support their operations.”

“Providing the public proper access to authority meetings is vital to ensuring that residents are able to monitor how their hard-earned dollars are being spent,” said Senator Sacco (D-Hudson/Bergen), chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “This bill will ensure that the authority meets strong transparency standards and that these standards are not only part of the bylaws, but established in state law and, therefore, cannot be changed by the board they were created to govern.”